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Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Corruption in Malaysia

Rumours are rife that match fixing still persists in the Malaysian game. Rumours are all well and hunky dory but hard evidence is needed. This story comes from the Malaysian paper The Star.Tuesday April 22, 2008Sign of corruption in Malaysian game?By ERIC SAMUELPETALING JAYA: Are the bookies back at work?The FA of Malaysia (FAM) have got to crack the whip as there are clear indications of the unhealthy practice making a return to the Malaysian Super League (MSL) this season.It seems to be an “open secret” but none have been bold enough to come forward to report any match-fixing incidents to enable the authorities concerned to open up police investigations and to take action against the culprits, who bring disrepute to the game.Last month, the Sarawak FA (FAS) suspended two players suspected of fixing a match.Sarawak's Borneo Post reported that the FAS would conduct investigations into alleged match-fixing following the suspension of the two players.Sarawak coach Kunju Jamaluddin admitted that two players had been suspended but did not to wish to elaborate on the offence.“All I can say is that they were punished for indiscipline,” said Kunju when contacted in Kuching yesterday.However, according to reliable sources, other players in the team were also suspected to be on the take and that each player had received RM20,000 to fix the result of a game.Sarawak are languishing at the bottom of the 13-team Super League with 14 points.With two more matches to go they are likely to be relegated to the Premier League next season.The last nationwide crackdown on bookies and match-fixers in 1994 saw more than 100 players hauled up by the Police and many were subsequently banned.And this story came from NST but the link I have is FAM.

Police probe nine playersDate: 22/04/2008, Source: NSTTHE Police FA has hauled up nine players for poor performances while a coach has written to the FA of Malaysia (FAM) on at least two occasions stating his suspicions that bookies could be rearing their ugly heads in Malaysian football again.Police, Premier League champions last year, conducted an internal inquiry on the nine following their poor performance in a season which has seen them only collect 18 points from 22 matche s.“We conducted a domestic inquiry because these players have simply not been up to mark. We have not taken any action just yet though,” said Supt Mohd Annuar Othman, the executive secretary of the Police FA The management of the team is privatised with a budget of RM1.5 million.Police were already in the limelight earlier this season when they signed Singaporean strikers Ahmad Latif Kamaruddin and Noh Alam Shah.Noh Alam was subsequently released as he was serving a one-year suspension imposed by the Singapore FA while Ahmad Latif failed to impress.Meanwhile, a coach is waiting for FAM to investigate his complaints about undesirable elements approaching his players.In another development there is talk that bookies have made a comeback to the Malaysian Super League.While some state or clubs penalised players based on poor performance it is learnt a local coach has written twice to the FA of Malaysia about his suspicions and about his players being ap - proached.According to sources, a foreign national has made contact with players from the coach’s team.He has been sighted at a house occupied by one player and also at the team training ground. By : Christopher Raj